Apparatus for cracking petroleum hydrocarbons.



YI. W. COAST, In. l APPARATUS-FOR CRACKING PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS.

l' APPLICATION FILED DCJS. I9II5.

` Patented Det). 18

'JOHN W. COAST, JR., OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA,

THE PROCESS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND.

APPARATUS FOR CRACKING PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS. l

Speeication of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 18, 1916. Serial No. 137,578.

To all whom it may concern. v

Be it known that I, JOHN W. COAST, Jr., a citizen of the United States of America, a resident of Tulsa, in the county of Tulsa, State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Cracking Petroleum Hydrocarbons, of which the following is a full, clear, and eX- act` description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements 1n the art of cracking petroleum hydrocarbons to obtain'a gasolene substitute adaptedfor' ne.

use in internal combustion engines: of the objects is to improve the prior art by providing an apparatus whereby high iling petroleum distillates or residues, or a mixture including such distillates or residues, may be cracked, vaporized and condensed very rapidly, with the result of obtaining a high grade low boiling product.

In the preferred form of the invention, the lhighly desirable product is obtained by a single cracking operation, it being unnecessary to subject the product to a multiplicity of distilling operations. However, the quality of the product may, of course, be improved by fractional distillation.

More specifically' stated, the preferred form'of the invention comprisesmeans for condensing and returnin'g'tofthe retort, a large volume of high boiling hydrocarbons,

and conducting the relatively small volume of low boiling hydrocarbons tothe main condenser from which the low boiling product is recovered. The contents of the retort are subjected to sucha` Yhigh temperature that the liquid vaporizes very rapidly, and a large volume of uncracked high boiling hydrocarbons, therefore, pass from the retort to the primary or reflux condenser where they are condensed and prevented from passing to the main condenser. The vaporized low boiling hydrocarbons pass from the primary or reliux condenserto a steam chamber where they are acted upon by a spray of relatii'fely cool steam. The steam eondenses an intermediate fraction, and almost `entirely, .eliminates the objectionable odor .and color usually present in cracked products. For reasons which at this time I am unable to fully explain, the

product is otherwise very materially int-1;'l

l fore,

first through the primary condenser under' turning the high proved by the introduction of steam into the llight hydrocarbon vapors which pass throughy the primary condenser. To obtain these advantages, the primary' condenser and the steam chamber must be maintained under a high degree of pressure, and it is also desirable to condense the product unfl der about atmospheric pressure. I, thereconduct the vapors yfrom the retort, a high pressure, thereby condensing and reboiling fractions. The remaining vapors are then conducted, while under the high pressure, into the steam chamber where the are acted upon by the steam, the interme iate fractions' being condensed by the relatively cool steam and returned to the primary condenser. After passing successively through the primary condenser and steam chamber, under a high pressure, the vaporized low boiling hydro.

carbons are preferably conducted with the steam to a main condenser maintained at about atmospheric pressure.

Assieivon, BY MnsNE ASSIGNMENTS, To

Patenten nec. is, aait. i

Figure I is a diametrical View of an apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. II is a fragmentary section of one of the air cooled condensers.

Fig. III is a transverse section of the condenser shown in Fig. I. t

'To illustrate the invention I have shown a retort or still 1 arranged over a heating chamber 2. The primary condenser. preferably comprises an air cooled vapor pipe 3 leading from the retort to an air cooled drum 4, the latter being connected by a short pipe 5 to another air cooleddrum 4. Each of these drums is provided with horizontal tubes, open at their ends and-communicating with a hot air flue 6. VDampers or valves 7 arranged inl the air -flues, in'ay be adjusted to regulate the circulation of air through the tubes in, the drums 4 and 4. O8 and 8 designate deflector plates arrangedin the air the steam chamber 13. The flow of steam p may be regulated by adjusting a valve 20.

. perature condensing devices,

rl`he new apparatus may be used in cracking various heavy hydrocarbon products resulting from the treatment Vof crude petroleum, particularly such inexpensive hydrocarbons having a boiling point higher than 350 F., the most beneficial results being obtainedfrcm hydrocarbons having a-boiling point ranging from 450 F. to 700 F. The substances to be treated are introduced into the retort in any pressure inv the retort, primary condenser and steam chamber 13. The pressure may range from 50 to 150 pounds per square inch, or even higher, but it is preferably maintained at about 80 pounds per square inch. The contents of the retort are subjected to such -a high degree of heat that the liquid will vaporize rapidly. This temmay range fromv about 600 l". to 800 l4`.,`and is preferably maintained at about715 F. to 750 F. The pressure in the apparatus is vdue to the expansive force of the vapors.

Owing to the intense heat and the rapid vaporization, a large volume of high boiling hydrocarbons flow from thel retort into the primary condensing devices 3, 4 and 4, and

since these devices are in a higher plane than the retort, a large volume of condensate Will return, by `gravity, through the inclined pipe 3 to the retort. lf desired, the valve 12 may be opened to permit the flow of condensate from the air cooled drums 4 and 4 to the retort.` To obtain the desired low boiling product, about one-half of the vapors may be condensed in the air cooled primary tion ywill take place in the steam chamber 13 above the air cooled drum 4. Relatively cool steam, preferably saturated steam, 1s discharged from the steam pipe 18 into the discharge member 19, the latter having a number of sm'all'discharge ports so as to discharge a multitude of tine streams of steam into the stream of vapors in the steam chamber. The steam is superheated by the vapors, and the relativelyheavy hydrocarbons are condensed by the cooling action of the steam. rll`he steam commigles with and actsv upon the light hydrocarbon vapors which pass entirely through `the primary suitable manner, andl Y the valve 17 is adjusted to obtain the desired and additional condensa- A condensing devices, the high boiling hydrocarbons being condensed before the vapors reach the steam chamber. It is also important to note that the steam is introduced into the vapors at a point Where the vapors are under the high degree of pressure maintained between the valve 17 and the retort.

The mixture of steam and hydrocarbon vapors, under pressure, passes from the steam chamber 13 to the vapor pipe 14. The pressure is relieved at the pressure regulating valve 17 andthe mixed vapors are after- Ward condensed, under about atmospheric pressure, in the main condenser 15. The Water and loW boiling hydrocarbon product, recovered from the condenser 15, may be separated from each other in any suitable manner.

rllhe'return conductor 10 passes through a heating chamber H' so as to heat the condensate before it reaches the hot liquid in the still. rThis condensate is preferably heated to about the temperature of the contents of the still orretort 1.

The method or process herein disclosed is claimed inan'applicationl for patent filed by me on Dec. 11, 1916, Serial Number 136,229. rl`he use of steam as hereindisclosedis more broadly claimed in an application for patent filed by me Oct. 23, 1916, Serial Number 127,128. rlhe aircooled condenser per se and the particular method of conducting air and vapor through a condenser of this kind, are claimed in applications for'patents led by me May 31, 1917, vSerial Number 172,037, and May 22, 1917, Serial Number 170,150, respectively.

1. ln an apparatus for cracking high boiling petroleum hydrocarbons to obtain a gasolene substitute, a retort,v a primary condenser communicating With said retort, a

steam chamber ,arranged to receive the vapors passlng from said prlmary condenser, means for conducting steam into said steam chamber, a main condenser from which` the roduct is recovered, a vapor conductor leadlng from said/steam chamber to said v main condenser, and a pressure regulating valve in said Vapor conductor at a point between said steam chamber and main 'condenser.

2. ln an apparatus for cracking high boiliis p ing petroleum hydrocarbons to obtain' asub-I,

lunder about 'atmospheric pressure, and a I steam conductor arranged to discharge steam into said steam chamber.

3. In'an apparatus' for cracking h igh boiling petroleum hydrocarbons to obtain a gasolene, substitute, a retort, Ivapor conductors including a series of air cooled reflux condensers for conducting vapors from said re-V tort, a steam chamber arranged to receive the. vapors that pass entirely through said serles of air cooled reliux condensers, means for discharging steam into said steam chamber, a mam condenser, means for conducting ythe steam and hydrocarbon vapors from said steam chamber to said main condenser, and pressure regulating means for maintaining the contents of said retort, reflux condensers and steam chamber under a pressure greater than 50 pounds 4per square inch at the same time maintaining the contents oi said main condenser under about atmospheric pressure, said pressure regulating means being arranged in the vapor conductor between said steam chamber and the main condenser.

JOHN W. coAsT, JR. 

